 yna y blynedd, i ni clywed i fynd i gael y cymhwyntiaeth. The question 1 is called by Douglas Ross. Thank you Presiding Officer. Michael Matheson ran up an £11,000 bill on his iPad and claimed the cost from the taxpayer. It was over the Christmas break and £7,300 of that bill covered a single day, which was a public holiday. To put that into context to run up those charges, He would have needed to have sent eight thousand e-mails in that one day. That's an e-mail written and sent every 10 seconds continuously for 24 hours. All this for the Health Secretary was in Morocco on holiday. Does the First Minister really believe that Michael Matheson ran up all these costs on parliamentary business? Yes or No? Mae bod i sicrhau definitelyach ar y cwrs ac mae Michael Matheson ar有ad chi nig â amddangos y symreen gan gynghdeithiol, żywwch i'r synnu ailfartod y byddach o'u eisteddó yn ei wneud am adciliation ac fel ei wneuttu, rwy'n منhael â'ch ddatblygu seffullion i edry Hetfergwys i'r iPad. Calle mae Michael yma kr infinitei к hagwchier telefon rwy'n rechid ir mll bike plaiswch i'r dastedd. O garpodaeth yr morheigidol, frydd morherwydd he will elaborate on that and certainly reflect on that. Let us hear the First Minister. I do understand in our politics the very first place we all go to is to think the very worst of each other. I hold my hands up. I have often done that myself and have been guilty of it too. But honest mistakes do happen. Michael has been a member of this Parliament since its inception. All of us who have worked with him know that he is a man of honesty and, indeed, of integrity. So, instead of rushing to besmarch each other's character, perhaps our politics would be a little better if we gave each other the benefit of the doubt. Michael will lay out in full what has happened in relation to his iPad and, of course, his central point being that he has already agreed, and I think that he has already, in fact, paid back the full amount that is incurred on this expense. Douglas Ross. Hamza Yousaf said that it was an honest mistake. He is 50% right with that, and he also said that he has no intention of getting into this. Will I have no intention of letting the First Minister off with that argument? Because this goes to the heart of his Government and his actions and also the impact this is having on people across Scotland. Because this morning it emerged that Michael Matheson had cancelled a Government visit to Glasgow GP surgery. The health secretary has stopped doing his job because of this, so this really matters when Scotland's NHS is in crisis and we are approaching winter. It matters if there is an attempt to dupe taxpayers out of £11,000. For nearly a year, Michael Matheson was happy for the taxpayer to pick up this bill. He made no attempt to repeat it until he was caught. His story is farcical beyond belief, so I am going to repeat my question to the First Minister. Can he guarantee that Michael Matheson ran up all of these costs on parliamentary business? Yes or no? Michael Matheson will lay out in full detail what has happened. Michael Matheson has already said, of course, last week. When a question has been put to the First Minister, I am sure that we all want to hear the response. We cannot hear the response when people are shouting from seats. The response is that there is clearly more to it. Douglas Ross is absolutely right. What I will not do is to pre-up the personal statement that Michael Matheson has agreed with the Presiding Officer to make later this afternoon. He will lay out in full detail what has happened. Importantly, Michael Matheson was made aware of that mistake. He took corrective action. That corrective action was to repay the full amount. Where I disagree entirely with Douglas Ross is that Michael Matheson has been doing anything other than concentrating on the job at hand. That is why he was able to announce this morning that we have secured the future of community links workers posts in Glasgow with an additional investment of £1.2 million. On top of that, of course, this is the health secretary that ensured that Scotland was the country where there was not junior doctor strikes. On top of that, this is the health secretary who secured annual funding of £100 million to help to reduce waiting lists. Michael Matheson is absolutely concentrating on the job at hand. Of course, he will lay out in full later this afternoon the full detail of what has happened in relation to his parliamentary iPad. The health secretary is not doing his job. We know that he refused to comment on shocking A&E waiting times this week because he was worried about the questions over his personal conduct. We need to hear from the health secretary, but this now goes beyond his actions. The First Minister has put his own personal representation on the line. When this story broke, Humza Yousaf said that the £11,000 bill was a legitimate expense. He said that the money did not need to be repaid to the taxpayer. He called Michael Matheson a person of integrity and character. He said, and I quote, I absolutely take Michael at his word. He gave him his 100 per cent backing. The First Minister is claiming that Michael Matheson's word is more important than the facts, but Humza Yousaf's integrity is at stake here. So a direct question to the First Minister that he can't just put on the statement this afternoon. Does the First Minister still believe, as he did last week, even now with all the evidence that this £11,000 bill was a legitimate expense? First of all, to get a lecture on principles and integrity from the party that gave us Boris Johnson is quite something. In the week when Douglas Ross' party, their flagship policy in Rwanda, was torn to pieces by the Supreme Court, hardly a party to be lecturing anybody on principles. It is absolutely impossible to hear any question or response being put at the moment, because there is far too much noise coming from members, and I will ask you to desist. As I have said, it is clear that there is more that has been discovered in relation to the iPad and the expense. Michael Matheson will make that clear in a statement later on this afternoon, and of course I have absolute confidence in Michael Matheson as the Cabinet Secretary for Health. Let me tell you why, because on top of ensuring that we resolve the issue around community links workers posts in Glasgow, and on top of ensuring that we resolve the junior doctor straight— First Minister, I am going to ask you, Mr Hoy, to make sure that that is the last remark that I hear when you are not on your feet and you have not been called to speak. Well, they do not want to hear it because, of course, it goes contrary to the claims, because Michael Matheson is also the health secretary who announced 15.6 million additional funding for hospital at home this year to deal with winter pressures. He is the health secretary who announced £50 million for funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service. That is a health secretary who is entirely focused on ensuring that NHS recovers through the course of what will be one of the most difficult winters. Michael Matheson on discovering what is an honest mistake of course paid back the expense in its entirety. Douglas Ross? It was not upon discovering something. He claimed this. He claimed £11,000 from the taxpayer. All I have asked from Humza Yousaf is does he still agree, as he did last week, that this was a legitimate expense, yes or no, and does he agree that that £11,000, that costs were ran up purely on parliamentary business? Yes or no? I have tried that three times and three times. I have not had an answer. The fact is that the First Minister should have immediately launched an investigation into this matter. He should have demanded that Michael Matheson hand over the device to be examined. Instead, he is the last person in Scotland still believing his health secretary's ridiculous claim. If this story changes to be about family or personal usage, that will still not cut it, because it will be nearly a year after the claim and a week into this scandal. The evidence shows that Michael Matheson claimed £11,000 of taxpayer's money when he knew it was not for parliamentary work. It was not just a mistake, it was dishonest. Will Humza Yousaf do the right thing and sack Michael Matheson or wait for his resignation? As I have already demonstrated in my responses to Douglas Ross, Michael Matheson has been concentrating on ensuring that our NHS recovers through the course of what will be one of the most challenging winters it has faced. That is evidence by the fact that I know that over the last few weeks he has been working diligently to ensure that we are able to fund community links workers posts in Glasgow. I am pleased that we have been able to get to our resolution on that very matter. That, of course, is a matter between Michael Matheson as an MSP and, indeed, the parliamentary authorities. Of course, the Parliament has made it clear that it has investigated the matter, but I have answered Douglas Ross's question. Mr Ross, excuse me, First Minister. The First Minister is answering questions. Mr Ross, you have had an opportunity to put questions to the First Minister. It is extremely important that we carry out our business in an orderly fashion and show one another courtesy and respect, First Minister. I have answered, of course, Douglas Ross's question, which is that there is clearly more that has come to light that Michael Matheson will make clear in just a couple of hours' time. That is why he took the decision to repay back the full amount of this expense. He will lay that out, and Michael Matheson will lay that out later this afternoon. What Michael Matheson will then continue to do, of course, is what he has been doing for weeks, for months now, which is ensuring that our NHS gets all the support it needs during one of the most difficult periods in its history. Question 2, Anna Sarwar. While the health secretary fights to save his job, the crisis in the NHS continues. Greater Glasgow-inclined health board has been named as a suspect in a corporate homicide investigation into the deaths of four patients, including 10-year-old Millie Mayne. For years, Millie's family has sought justice, but years on from this case, first being raised, no-one has been held to account and no-one has lost their job. The chair, John Brown, who has overseen the scandal, comes to an end of his term in a few weeks. Despite being chair of the only public body in Scottish history to be named a suspect in a corporate homicide case, he is to be kept on by the Government as an adviser on NHS good governance. An adviser on NHS good governance—you couldn't make this up. What message does this send to grieving families? What does it say about your judgment that the man who presided over this scandal will continue to advise your Government? First of all, my thoughts and my condolences continue to go to the families that have been impacted and affected. Let me pay credit to Anna Sarwar, who has provided support to many of those families who have been so tragically impacted and affected. Where Anna Sarwar and I will vehemently disagree is that, of course, the Government, I believe, has taken action. That is why we established the public inquiry in the very first place. The entire purpose, the entire point of a public inquiry is to get to the truth of these matters. I can't obviously comment on a live police investigation. It is important for me to say that, of course, individuals have not been named in relation to the health board. That regard is the health board in NHS good of Glasgow and Clyde that has, as a corporate entity, been named as a suspect. I would say to Anna Sarwar that he may wish to be the judge and the jury in the investigation. It is my job to ensure that I do not interfere, that I do not intervene, neither in the public inquiry or indeed interfere in a live police investigation. We will hold to the board to account when necessary. That is why, of course, the oversight board was established in the first place. That is why we ensured that the 108 recommendations were completed. We will allow the independent inquiry and the independent police investigation to get on with the job that they meant to do without the Government interfering. Anna Sarwar. You see, the First Minister's judgment is called into question here because Jean Freeman put these people into special measures and Humza Yousaf lifted them out of special measures and empowered them. Let me be clear that John Brown should not be advising this Government and should not hold any public appointments while the criminal investigation and the public inquiry continues. The chief executive of the health board, Jane Grant, has been in post since before Millie died. During that time, she has been paid over £1 million. She has led an organisation that is now being investigated for corporate homicide, has gaslit grieving families, shut down and bullied NHS staff and called into question the results of an independent review that explores fatal infections in children. Now she will continue to run this health board while the police investigate her actions and those of the people who report to her. In any other walk of life, suspects would not be allowed to walk free on a crime scene. So why does the First Minister continue to back and not sack the chief executive of this health board? Can we just be absolutely clear on this? Anasawa has other information that is not in the public domain. Individuals such as Jane Grant have not been themselves named as a suspect. It is, of course, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as a corporate entity that has been named as a suspect. It is important that the police investigation is allowed to continue. As I said, Anasawa, I wish in his position to be judge and jury. It is important that I allow the police investigation to happen without interruption. Anasawa makes the point to me that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde were de-escalated. He is right that they were de-escalated, but the entire point is that they were de-escalated because they made improvements in performance following the completion of all 108 recommendations outlined in the independent review. Is Anasawa seriously suggesting that having completed all of the recommendations in that oversight board that no appropriate action then should have been taken? In relation to patient safety, which is at the very heart of those issues, I am very pleased that this Parliament was able to pass the patient safety commissioner bill. On top of that, of course, we have taken many actions in relation to patient safety. I will continue to ensure that we allow the public inquiry, allow the police investigation to take its course unimpeded without interference in the Scottish Government and, at the same time, of course, do everything that we can to ensure patient safety within our NHS. Anasawa, you are such a tragedy that every week the First Minister continues to demonstrate how completely out of depth he is in his position. The first ever corporate homicide investigation of a public body in Scottish history, and those are the answers that we are getting from Scotland's First Minister. Deadly mistakes made, facts denied, a cover-up continuing, and to this day no one, not a single person, held to account. Instead, incompetence is rewarded. This is not just the story of this health board but of this SNP Government. From deleted WhatsApp Covid messages to the leadership of this health board being allowed to continue in their jobs, also this Government can try and save face, while families grieve the loss of loved ones. First Minister, your choices have consequences. This is what Kimberley Darrick, the mother of Millie Mayne, said on Monday. I have never been able to celebrate Millie's life like I should be. Anytime I think of Millie, I think of all the pain that day caused and continues to cause. I feel that pain the day I lost her every single day because of all of this. First Minister, for once do the right thing, sack the leadership of this health board. I cannot imagine the pain of losing a child. It is every parent's worst nightmare without a shadow of a doubt. I have paid credit to those who have supported Kimberley Darrick and other families who have suffered such a loss. What I am interested in is action. That is why this Government established the oversight board. That is why we established the public inquiry. That is why we introduced the duty of Canada and the independent national whistleblower's office, the first of its kind in the UK. That is why we ensured that there are whistleblowing champions in every single health board. We will continue to demonstrate that leadership. I know Anasawa is always faltering when he goes for the personal attacks of something he has done throughout his entire period as leader of the Scottish Labour Party. Can I remind him about his version of leadership? We have seen just yesterday a demonstration of the lack of leadership that Anasawa is able to show if, in the face of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza being killed, Anasawa cannot even demand that his own Labour MPs back at ceasefire, that is not a version of leadership that I will subscribe to. 3. Alex Cole-Hamilton I have here a freedom of information request, which shows that the fire service contacted the Scottish Government four years ago about having to prop up station ceilings because of dangerous concrete. RAC is in 14 of them, from Mulgyi to Portree. The chief fire officer asked for 70 million to fix it, but ministers actually cut their capital budget in real terms. Fire station roofs were the canary in the coal mine for the concrete crisis now affecting schools and hospitals, and yet the Government were nowhere on this, not telling Parliament, ignoring it internally, even cutting budgets. Firefighters run towards danger on every job, they should not have to face it when they return to base. Can I ask the First Minister, would the Government have ignored dangerous concrete for four years if it was found in the ceiling of Bute House? To Alex Cole-Hamilton, of course, what we have been doing and many of our public bodies, local authorities have been doing, of course, is following the guidance of the Institute of Structural Engineers. It is really important that we continue to align ourselves with that important guidance. Of course, where RAC has been found, in the vast overwhelming majority of cases, is my understanding that appropriate mitigations have been put in place. I did have a meeting just yesterday with the Scottish Trade Union's Congress, and the FBU represented that meeting. It made a passionate plea in relation to the budgetary position that it is in, both in terms of the capital and resource, and RAC was mentioned in those discussions. I will, of course, give those calls absolute consideration, as will the Deputy First Minister, when we are working up the budget next month. What I will say to Alex Cole-Hamilton is that this Government has taken extensive measures and action alongside our partners and local government and other public bodies in relation to the RAC issue, and I am happy that the Government will provide Alex Cole-Hamilton with a written response with all of the detail of the actions that we have taken. To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the impact of the low-emission zone in Glasgow? The Scottish Government remains committed to tackling air pollution through the introduction of low-emission zones in Aberdeen, in Dundee, in Edinburgh and, indeed, in Glasgow. We already know that many drivers have taken action to prepare for early Zs following our awareness-raising campaigns. In addition, we have provided substantial funding to reduce emissions from mid-life buses and taxis and supported those who are most in need of assistance to switch to less polluting and sustainable means of travel. Over £10 million has been provided through the LEZ support fund since 2019, resulting in almost 3,000 non-compliant vehicles being disposed of or retrofitted with cleaner technology. It is too early to comment on the impact on air pollution since LEZ enforcement commenced on 1 June 2023. That is because the data needs to be collected over an appropriate period and analysed. However, we look forward to receiving the statutory LEZ reports on air quality data from Glasgow City Council in due course. It is really encouraging that the most recent figures show a drop in the number of fines that are issued in Glasgow's low-emission zone and the indication that public awareness is growing. What interactions are taking place between the Scottish Government and other councils across Scotland to look into implementing similar less schemes as we work together to move towards a cleaner, greener and healthier transport system? I was pleased to see that the number of PCNs being issued following months and months since July. I believe that that shows the intended deterrent effect of increasing surcharges for subsequent contraventions of the LEZs. I am very pleased that progress is being made in relation to the other city's low-emission zones. We know that, when it comes to the challenges of air pollution right across Scotland, those measures are increasingly important. We know that enforcement of the LEZs will commence on 30 May 2024 in Dundee on 1 June 2024 in Aberdeen and, indeed, in Edinburgh. It is important that, in the face of a climate crisis that we can all see in front of us almost every single day, that we do everything that we possibly can to mitigate that climate crisis, but also, of course, importantly for low-emission zones, they are an important public health measure, particularly in some of our most polluted urban areas. I can tell the First Minister that at least 150 motorists are being wrongly issued finds every month for driving through Glasgow's low-emission zone. Glasgow City Council says that it does not know what to do with the colossal sums—half a million pounds so far—that it is raising. Shouldn't they have sorted this out before introducing this botched scheme? There is hardly a surprise that, every time, of course, this Government or, indeed, local government brings forward any even smaller, mild measure in order to tackle the climate crisis that is opposed by the Conservatives time and time and time again. Let's also be absolutely clear that, when it comes to all revenue above that in card and running the LEZ scheme itself, it can only be used for activities that help to reduce air pollution or contribute towards achieving our climate change targets. I know that Glasgow will be thinking about where it can spend that money in order to help to reduce air pollution or meet its own climate change targets, but I say to Graham Simpson and the Conservatives that they cannot continue to be climate deniers. They have to get with the mainstream and support anybody, be it national government, be it local government, in order to tackle the dangers of the climate crisis. The City of Glasgow desperately needs people to return to the nighttime economy as the most lockdown city in the UK. Taxes are key to ensuring that people have confidence that they will be able to get home, but taxi drivers have had to fight for every concession to help them comply with the LEZ zone. Taxi drivers tell me that there is only one garage that will help them comply and the waiting list is as long as 2026, but they only have a year to comply. Given, as the First Minister said, that other cities will face these challenges, will the First Minister look into a national grant scheme and what else can be done to help the taxi trade comply? Given that Scotland's largest city needs to come out of the pandemic and recovery, I think that that is very much important to deal with. That is an important issue, of course. We all value the nighttime economy and, of course, the important role that taxi drivers play in that regard. It is important to note that it is not necessary to purchase a new taxi or an electric taxi to be LEZ-compliant for taxi operators who wish to change their vehicle. Some older taxis may be suitable for retrofitting, but I take the point that Pauline McNeill makes if there is only one garage as she has described and there are extremely long waiting lists. I will ensure that we liaise with Glasgow City Council to see what support we can provide should be said that the LEZ support fund has been providing grant funding for taxi retrofits since 2019 and since it opened more than 300 taxis that have taken up the funding for retrofitting. There is a fund available, but I take the point that Pauline McNeill raises very seriously indeed. We will explore and examine with our partners in Glasgow City Council if there is more that we can do. To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on when the Scottish Government will review its ban on alcohol consumption on ScotRail train services. First Minister, I should acknowledge that there are quite a wide range of views on this very issue. My priority is ensuring that ScotRail services are safe and enjoyable for all users and staff, but specifically women and girls, where we know of the role that alcohol often plays in making women feel unsafe. That is why the transport minister has asked the officials at Transport Scotland to engage with the British Transport Police, ScotRail, ScotRail Holdings and Transport Focus, among other organisations, to ensure that all views on continuing the alcohol ban on ScotRail trains are given due consideration and all impacts are indeed assessed. Following a meeting last month, we have also written to trade union leaders asking for their views on the issue. We will, of course, update Parliament in the most appropriate way when a decision has been made and once we take into account all the views of stakeholders. Douglas Lumson. First Minister, it is now three years since alcohol was banned on ScotRail trains as a Covid precaution measure. ScotRail and British Transport Police have both told me that the ban is unworkable. People who indulge in anti-social behaviour are ignoring the ban and drinking it anyway. It is the law abiding Scots who are being penalised. First Minister, is it not time the SNP showed some trust in the Scottish public and scrapped the draconian rule and got more people back on the trains, especially during the upcoming Christmas period? A couple of things I would say to Douglas Lumson. I do appreciate that there is a wide variety of views on this. That is exactly why the transport minister has asked for a whole variety of stakeholders to be engaged. I have mentioned some of those stakeholders already in terms of British Transport Police, Transport Scotland, ScotRail, Trade Unions and others. I would say to Douglas Lumson that we will give appropriate weight to those stakeholders. I am sure that we will not dispute that we will give particular weight to the voices of women and girls. We often are the ones who tell us that they can feel unsafe when it comes to anti-social behaviour. I have to say to Douglas Lumson that I do not have an absolute fixed view on the evidence that will be brought forward. If the evidence points towards that ban being lifted, we will, of course, explore that and give that appropriate consideration. While the ban is in place, and of course there is other anti-social behaviour as well as drinking alcohol, can the First Minister say anything about the enforcement of it? Particularly, I understand that some staff are getting body-worn cameras. Is there any evidence of the effectiveness of those? The use of body-worn cameras is an operational matter for ScotRail, but I think that it is important to clarify here that staff are not expected to enforce the alcohol ban on ScotRail trains. The enforcement of the alcohol ban is a matter for British Transport Police. The expansion of body-worn camera provision for staff through the roll-out of 900 new cameras across ScotRail is part of a £1.6 million investment in tackling anti-social behaviour on the rail network. It is not specifically targeted at the consumption of alcohol in ScotRail services. It is part of that wider effort right across the railways to make staff safer while carrying out their duties and improve the experiences of the travelling public. However, we know that research indicates that body-worn cameras can positively influence customer behaviour and reduce a wide range of anti-social behaviours. I am sure that ScotRail will continue to update Transport Scotland and the Transport Minister on the matter. To ask the First Minister what immediate action the Scottish Government is taking to address the reported crisis in social care in light of the letter from the coalition of care and support providers in Scotland stating that the social care pay uplift is insufficient. I do place a huge value on our social care workforce and exceptional care that they do provide. I am fully committed to improving their pay to reflect that. The £12 minimum pay rate from April 2024 represents an increase of over 10 per cent from the £10.90 minimum rate that was introduced in April of this year. It is also a 14.3 per cent increase for these workers over the last two years. For workers and children services who previously received the national minimum wage, this increase will represent a minimum increase in pay of 15.2 per cent compared to April 2023 levels. We are doing all we can within the devolved responsibilities and budgets to address those costs of living pressures. However, as a result of 13 years of Tory austerity, there has never been greater pressure on our public finances. If only we had those full powers over our budget, we would not have to be at the whim of an austerity-driven UK Government. I am pleased to hear how much the First Minister values social care, because he will also know that vacancies for social care staff are up, turnover is up and some providers are handing back contracts because they are unable to deliver quality care due to a lack of staff. The First Minister announced that social care pay would rise to £12 from April 2024. That is now the uprated rate for the real living wage, so any advantage has been eroded. Does the First Minister believe that social care staff deserve the bare minimum in pay? If not, will he bring forward revised proposals in the budget to properly value our hard-working social care staff? We value our hard-working social care staff. That is why, of course, we have agreed to increase the pay of over 10 per cent from the £10.90 minimum rate that was introduced in April of this year. I completely accept, fully accept, because I have engaged with the social care workforce that they want us to go further and they want us to go faster. I completely respect that and understand that. We are, of course, constrained by our budget. Of course, I will remind Jackie Baillie that it was Anasawa, her colleague, who said that he had a presumption against income tax rises. We have a position here where Jackie Baillie seems to be asking us to increase significantly the pay of social care workers. To £15 an hour, that would cost the Government an additional £1.2 billion. On the one hand, Jackie Baillie and the Scottish Labour Party are saying that we cannot raise revenue in any way, shape or form, but at the same time, we have to find £1.2 billion to increase the pay to £15 an hour. We will engage with the Scottish Labour Party. We are in the run-up, of course, to the budget, but I would say to Jackie Baillie that, if she is asking us to spend in the order of £1.2 billion, if she has any credibility whatsoever, she has to tell us where we will find that money from. We move to constituency and general supplementaries, and I call Kenneth Gibson. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Last Friday, technical faults meant that both ferries to Arran, Ardrossan to Brodyg and Lachran to Clunig, were off with cancellations continuing into the Saturday. First Minister, given the continued impact of ferry disruption, what economic assistance will the Scottish Government consider to enable businesses on Arran to survive what is already proving to be a very challenging winter? I thank Kenneth Gibson for his invitation for me to come to Arran to speak with businesses and the community earlier this year. I do absolutely recognise, having had those conversations, the severe impact that disruption has regrettably had. The best thing we can do is ensure, for CalMac, that disruption does not happen. That is why this Government is absolutely committed to investing in our ferry services and delivering six new major vessels to Scotland's ferry network by 2026. The charter of the MV Alfred is a further example of this, and CalMac was able to redeploy her last weekend to pick up services on the Ardrossan Brodyg route. That being said, in my visit to Arran, I heard very clearly from the community that they wanted a better level of engagement with CalMac, and I will ensure that the transport minister provides Kenneth Gibson with some of the updates on how that conversation has been going. It has been reported today that the procession times for child disability payment have risen to more than 100 days. That represents just the latest failure of Social Security Scotland to deliver for those in need. Does the First Minister believe that those shocking delays in body dignity, fairness and respect? I understand that an invitation has been given to Jeremy Balfour to visit the agency if he wishes. I do not know if it has been taken up, but the invitation still remains for him to visit the agency, and they will be able to talk him through the numerous actions that they are taking to reduce those processing times. I do not disagree with Jeremy Balfour that the processing times are far longer than we would want them to be. I have spoken in great length and great detail about the number of actions that are being taken by the agency. In fact, I will ensure that she responds to Jeremy Balfour with the full detail of the actions that are being taken. What is positive about some of the statistics that we have seen most recently is that, when it comes to many of our benefits, the redetermination rate is much lower here in Scotland than it is, for example, in comparison to the UK. It may take slightly longer to process that point, but it is really important that we get the right decision the first time around in as many cases as we possibly can. However, I will ensure that Jeremy Balfour gets a full update from the Cabinet Secretary in terms of the actions that we are taking. The First Minister will know that BT confirmed yesterday the closure of their all-ness base. 100 jobs will be lost, impacting in 1 in 50 local residents in all-ness. Can I ask what Toxi has had with BT to prevent those jobs losses, given that the BT group has benefited and enjoyed hundreds of millions of pounds of Government funding? I am sure that the Cabinet Secretary does engage with Roryr Grant directly in terms of what support we are able to provide. Of course, those are extremely difficult times for the staff group that are involved. We do not want to see job losses. We will do everything that we can to try to prevent job losses. Where, if it is necessary, if those job losses look like they are going to occur, we can engage PACE, where we can assist with redeployment where we possibly can. However, we want to try to see whether we can avoid the situation of the 100 job losses that Roryr Grant mentions. I will ensure that I post-FMQs that the Cabinet Secretary engages with Roryr Grant directly. Ross Greer The First Minister has shown a moral leadership completely lacking at Westminster with his calls for ceasefire in Gaza. While the focus is rightly on trying to stop the slaughter happening there, more than 180 Palestinians have been killed by extremist Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank and 1,000 have been forced to flee their villages. The United Nations has identified 97 companies who are complicit in Israel's illegal occupation through its West Bank settlements. The Scottish Government rightly takes a very strong stance against support for any company that is still trading with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. Will the First Minister confirm that any company complicit in illegal occupation, whether it be of Palestine or of Ukraine, must be banned from receiving public sector contracts or grants here in Scotland? It is worth reiterating that it is also the position of the UK Government that settlements are indeed illegal. Most of the international community agree with that point. Let me mention the action that the former Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Ivan McKee took. He wrote to a small number of companies on a UN list that had links to the Government or public bodies asking what steps they were taking in relation to any of those companies that we are working in legal settlements. My understanding is that we are somewhat constrained in terms of what we can do within the devolved settlement, but let me be very clear to Ross Greer that we will examine what we are able to do, anybody who is profiteering from illegal settlements anywhere, including in the occupied territories, wherever they are, should not be able to profit from public contracts here. Let us explore what is possible within the limitations of devolution. I join with Ross Greer and many others across the chamber in urging the international community to get right behind a ceasefire, and of course a ceasefire now. Keith Brown Our approach to migration and refugees should have dignity, fairness and respect at its core, as opposed to the UK Government's hostile environment approach, which we currently have to endure. Yesterday, the UK Government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court. Can the First Minister provide any information on any assessment of those plans by the Scottish Government? He also confirmed that more than £140 million of taxpayers' money, including Scottish taxpayers' money, has been squandered on this illegal scheme. Can he confirm whether he has heard a single word of criticism from any Tory MSP on the huge waste of taxpayers' money on this unworkable scandalous and illegal scheme? All I heard him afraid is when Keith Brown was speaking. A whole bunch of groans from Tory MSPs, as he mentioned, of course, the need for a humane asylum system here in the UK. That is exactly what we need. We need a humane system that does not leave asylum seekers stuck in destitution for years without the right to work. We recently launched our paper on migration in an independent Scotland, which sets out our approach to migration based very much on the values of dignity, fairness and respect. Migrants who come to this country contribute more than they take. They bring skills and experience, which greatly benefits our economy and enhances the diversity of our society. The UK Government's policy of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda is morally repugnant. It is now being confirmed as unlawful too. This policy should be consigned to the dustbin of history and have no place in a modern and humane society. It has now been almost eight weeks since I raised the issue of the fire at the air station hotel in the chamber. The station is still closed. The surrounding roads are closed due to safety concerns, and local businesses are suffering. What funding and help can the Scottish Government provide to help to find a speedy resolution? I thank Sharon Dowie for raising what is an important issue. Of course, all of our hearts go with those communities that have been affected by the disruption due to the fire at the air station hotel. I will ensure that a written update is provided to Sharon Dowie on the actions that we have taken alongside our partners in Ayrshire. I commend our brave firefighters in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who once again diligently and efficiently dealt with the tragic fire at the air station hotel. I will ensure that Sharon Dowie gets full details of our interactions with the local authority and the support that we are able to provide. Pam Duncan-Glancy. This morning, the IFS published a report that shows that children in Scotland are falling behind in science and maths, and that the gap between the test scores of the richest and poorest children has grown. Yesterday, headteachers were the latest group to join a chorus of experts to say that this Government's inaction on reform is hurting the poorest students. Does the First Minister accept that, with every day that passes and his Government dither on the key decisions needed on reform, he is denying Scotland's children the opportunities that they deserve? No, I do not agree with that characterisation at all. Of course, it is the poverty-related attainment gap that we are committed to substantially eliminating. I would say to Pam Duncan-Glancy that that is made far more difficult by Westminster Government that is hell bent on deepening poverty at every single stage. I would say to Pam Duncan-Glancy that we are indeed making progress when it comes to reducing and narrowing the poverty-related attainment gap. We look at the recent Audit Scotland report, and we look at exam results that show that between attainment levels in the least and most deprived areas it has narrowed from the 2019 level, the pre-pandemic level. I can again send full detail to Pam Duncan-Glancy of the narrowing of that gap and the progress that we are making, but we are absolutely committed to making sure that we continue to narrow that gap. That job would be made far easier, of course, if we were not having the headwinds of austerity that the Westminster Government had inflicted on the people of Scotland. Ivan McKee Community-linked practitioners play a vital role in GP surgeries, including in my own Glasgow Provin constituency. It is very welcome that the health secretary has confirmed that the Scottish Government will be providing additional funding over three years to help to preserve the existing community-linked worker programme within Glasgow City Health and Social Care partnership. Will the First Minister provide any further information about that funding and help to be directed to continue to deliver positive health outcomes in communities? I agree entirely with Ivan McKee's sentiments that community-linked workers are absolutely vital to the communities that they serve. Every single one of us is MSPs who has had the pleasure of interacting with community-linked workers and know just how much they are valued, not just by the communities but by the GP practices that they serve and at the forefront of our efforts to address health inequalities. Since we learnt of the risk to those vital services, we have engaged extensively, and Michael Matheson has engaged extensively over several months, with Glasgow Health and Social Care partnership, to find a solution. I am therefore pleased to confirm that we will be able to provide the partnership with £1.2 million to sustain the full provision of community-linked workers. As Ivan McKee rightly says, we have offered that funding on our current basis for the next three years. As I have said, community-linked workers are absolutely fundamental and vital to tackling the inequality that we see to arrive in our communities that have been exacerbated by the Westminster cost of living crisis. I hope that the decision to fund them for the next three years brings peace of mind not just to the staff whose posts were at risk but, most importantly, to the communities that they serve. Thank you. That concludes First Minister's questions. Point of order, Liam Kerr. Very grateful, Presiding Officer. This week, the Scottish Government finally accepted that its claim that Scotland had 25 per cent of Europe's offshore wind potential was wholly wrong. The correct figure is six to seven per cent. Angus Robertson may wish to wait for this moment, incidentally, as he walks out. Angus Robertson was officially advised to stop using the misleading figure on 28 September 2022 but continued to state it as truth until at least 18 October 2022, including in meetings with foreign Governments. Members across this chamber have raised repeated concerns that this was a breach of the ministerial code. The former First Minister swept this under the carpet, so what powers do you have as Presiding Officer to compel this First Minister to ask the independent adviser on the ministerial code to establish if knowingly giving false statistics to foreign Governments is a breach of that code? I thank Mr Kerr for his point of order on a matter which he has raised previously and I have addressed previously. As members are aware, the accuracy of members' contributions, the accuracy is not a matter for the chair to rule on. It is not something that is covered by standing orders. Of course, as a matter of courtesy, in respect, I expect all members always to be accurate in their contributions. The Scottish Ministerial Code states that it is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to the Parliament and that any inadvertent errors are corrected at the earliest opportunity. Mr Stephen Kerr. About two or three minutes ago, an email arrived telling us that there will be a personal statement from Michael Matheson at 2 o'clock. I think that we in this chamber and also the watching Scottish public might want to know whether we will be able to ask questions of Michael Matheson once he has delivered his statement. If he is not going to be subject to questions, I think that the people of Scotland will wonder exactly what is going on in this Parliament. Thank you, Mr Kerr, for his point of order. I would just say to Mr Kerr that standing orders make it quite clear that personal statements are not debated. That concludes First Minister's questions. We move on to the next item of business. At this point, I suspend business to enable the gallery and the chamber to clear. Thank you.